Providing young artists with opportunities to enhance their skills in creativity, artistry, and professionalism through internships and programming.
About the Joanne Woodward Internship Program
Westport Country Playhouse is home to one of the nation’s preeminent theater internship programs. The training of emerging professionals in theater has formed a vital part of our mission since our program began in 1941. Each year, production and theater administration interns are given the opportunity to work directly with senior staff and gain crucial on-the-job experience in a vibrant and innovative professional theater. Weekly intern seminars feature a variety of guest speakers, including Playhouse staff members, visiting designers and artists, commercial producers, and more.
Thank you to our 2024 internship sponsors:
Jodi & Bill Felton, Lucinda E. Knuth, and Emil & Toby Meshberg with support from the White Barn program of the Lucille Lortel Foundation.
Applications for the 2024 Woodward Intern Class are closed. The deadline to apply was Friday, March 8, 2024.
For 2024, we will be offering the following internships:
- Marketing – The Marketing Intern provides key support for all marketing department activities including digital projects, print/digital communications, events, and promotional campaigns. The MI reports directly to the Marketing Manager (MM) and works closely with the marketing staff on a daily basis. We hope that the Marketing Intern will gain useful tactical tools and marketing experience as well as insights in how a non-profit theater is organized and functions in the community. This position may include evening and weekend work as needed. Click here for a full job description.
- Development/Fundraising – The Development Intern serves as assistant to the development department, which encompasses special events and working with donors. The Development Intern assists all aspects of the development department, including planning and implementation of donor cultivation events and other fundraising activities, research individual and institutional donor prospects, gift entry and database administration, and assists with administrative functions and maintaining fundraising data for the organization. This position may include evening and weekend work as needed. Click here for a full job description.
- General Production – The General Production Internship serves as an opportunity to be involved in the daily tasks of the production department, which manages all events on the Playhouse stage. The General Production Intern assists all aspects of the production department, including budgeting, contracting, payroll, scheduling, and more. This position may include evening and weekend work as needed. Click here for a full job description.
- Community Engagement – The Community Engagement Intern provides key support for the Playhouse’s mission of engaging with the community by presenting events which invite members of the community to the Playhouse as well as finding ways for the Playhouse to meet the community in their space. We hope the Community Engagement Intern will gain experience in how a non-profit theater functions as a creative hub within and for the community. This position may include evening and weekend work as needed. Click here for a full job description.
The program will run from May 28 – July 31, 2024
Stipend: $630 per week (equivalent to CT minimum wage)
These internships are in-person and work will occur at the Playhouse. This application is for all internships offered. Please submit only one application – even if you are interested in applying for more than one department. See individual job descriptions above for more details.
Please note that you must be 20 or older and have a high school degree (or equivalent) to apply. Connecticut residents are encouraged to apply.
All Westport Country Playhouse employees are encouraged to be fully vaccinated (including boosters) against COVID19.
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COMPENSATION
Interns will be paid a stipend of $630 per week (equivalent to current minimum wage for the State of Connecticut).
HOUSING + HOURS
Interns reside in provided housing for the length of their term; each intern will have their own room. The intern residence is located approximately eight miles from the Playhouse in Fairfield, Connecticut. Transportation to work is the responsibility of the intern but travel stipends may be available. Work hours are based on the needs of each department.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The application deadline for our 2024 internship program was Friday, March 8th, 2024.
Questions?
Please reach out to our education department at education@westportplayhouse.org.
My time with the Playhouse helped me to feel more confident in myself as an arts administrator, and I had the opportunity to work with industry professionals who were passionate about helping me learn! I was able to work on relevant projects, and was encouraged to bring my own ideas to the table. I loved my time with WCP!
Sydney Wyatt
2020 Marketing Intern
My time as the Education Intern at Westport was hands-down the most enriching and beneficial experience that I’ve had in theater to date. The community of artists at the Playhouse is an incredibly supportive and inspiring group of people, and I had so many opportunities to branch out while working with students from Westport and surrounding communities.
Gracelyn Shalaski
2020 Education Intern
This experience of working at the Playhouse is one I will cherish forever. The community was welcoming and I felt at home on the first day! The opportunities, people, and other interns I met during my time here created a family that I can always rely on.
Megan Coatney
2020 Development Intern
Westport Country Playhouse is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Applicants from populations underrepresented in the theater field are strongly encouraged to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, ability, age, or veteran status.
All Westport Country Playhouse employees are encouraged to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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